Current TV to broadcast “The Gavin Newsom Show”

Current TV, co-founded by politico Al Gore, is hiring the lieutenant governor of California to host a cable TV show.

“The Gavin Newsom Show” will be shown weekly starting in May. Newsom has famously said that the job of lieutenant governor has “no real authority and no real portfolio” so it seems he might have some time to run a cable news talk show. Newsom is better known as the former Mayor of San Francisco and as a prominent businessman.

Mixing media with politics has become commonplace, although it seems unusual to have a sitting elected official hosting a show on a heavily progressive-leaning news outlet. Current until now it has not employed any sitting politicians. The show will focus on interviews with newsmakers from Silicon Valley to Hollywood,

A Current spokeswoman told The New York Times that Newsom would be paid by the channel, but would not specify his salary. A representative for Newsom said that the payments would be donated to charity and would be disclosed in accordance with state law.

In a statement, Gore said Newsom “touches many worlds — business, politics, entertainment and activism.” He added, “We are honored that Current TV will be bringing his curiosity, intelligence, insights and enthusiasm to television.”